Automatic firearm construction



Jian.. M, w43. D. M, WILLIAMS 2,308,257

AUTOMATIC FIREARM CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 22, 1941 2 shets'sheet l I Jan. l, w43. D. M, WILLIAMS 2,308,257

AUTOMAT I C FIREARM CONSTRUCTI ON Filed sept. 22, 1941 2 sheets-sheet 2 Z7 1o .Z"" 77 0%@ 13 i? w H 2b tion is along the same line as that employed in the well-known Garand military ride. A

In the right side of its rear face, the head 33 of the\actionslide 23 is provided with a'rearwardly-opening conically-contoured socket or seat 33 (Fig. 8) normally receiving the conicallycontoured forward end of., a breech-closing plunger 33 provided about midway of its/length with a knurled or otherwise roughened ngergripping portion 33 for purposes as will hereinafter appear.

'At its rear the breech-closing plunger 33 is reduced in diameter to provide a stem 33 and Va rearwardly-facing spring-seat 33. The said stem 33 of the breech-closing plunger 33 is encircled by the forward end of a helical breech-closing spring 3l. The said breech-closing spring 3l is housed within a forwardly-opening cylindricallycontoured spring-receiving recess 33. formed in the right side-wall of the receiver I3 in a plane below the center-line of the barrel il. The said breech-closing spring 33 thrusts at its rear end against the rear end-wall of the spring-receiving recess 33 and thrusts at its forward end against the rearwardlyfacing spring-seat 33 of the breech-closing plunger 33 in such manner as to normally maintain the conically-contoured forward end of the said plunger in engagement with the socket or seat 32 in the head 23 of the actionslide 33. Leading laterally from and partly intersecting the side of the socket or seat 33 in the head 23 of the action-slide 23. is a longitudinallyinclined transversely-curved lead-in surface or clearance-groove 33 for purposes aswill hereinafter appear.

It is to be noted by reference to Figs. l and 2 in particular that when the action-slide 23 is in its normal forward position, the spring-seat 33 of the breech-closing plunger 33 is located slightly forwardly of the open forward end of the spring-receiving recess 33 in the receiver iii. Preferably, the diameter of the breech-closing plunger 33 is such as to provide a really-free sliding-fit within the plunger-receiving recess 33 of the receiver i3.

When the firearm is discharged, the gases created by the discharge will pass downwardly through the gas-passage il into the piston-chamber i3 in the lug i3, with the result that the piston 33 will be rapidly impelled rearwardly until the rear face of its head 3l engages with the forward face of the piston-seat 23. The rapid movement of the piston 33 will kick so to speak, the entire action-slide 33 rearwardly against the tension of the breech-closing spring 3l, with the effect of unlocking the breech-bolt 3i and moving the same rearwardly to extract the Just-fired cartridge in a manner generally common in automatic firearms.

When the action-slide 23 reaches the limit of its rearward travel under the impetus imparted to it by the discharge of a cartridge, the breechclosing spring 31, acting through the breechgripping portion 33 and force the same slightly rearwardly. to free its forward end from engagement with the seat or socket 32 in the action-slide 33, whereupon the forward end of the said plunger 33 may be swung outwardly clear of the action-slide and permitted to move forwardly through the clearance-groove 33, under the urge of the breech-closing spring 3l. as is shown in Fig. 5. The breech-closing plunger 33 and the breech-closing spring 3l may now be completely removed from the firearm-structure, preparatory to disassembling other features of the firearmstructure if desired. It is possible to swing the breech-closing plunger 33 as above described by virtue of the fact that the rearwardly-projecting stem 33 thereof is suiciently small in diameter y,

to permit such action.

When it is desired to reinstall the breech-closing spring 31 and the breech-closing plunger 33. the said parts may be first placed in the firearmstructure'in substantially the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 5. The user of the firearm may now first force the breech-closing plunger 33 rearwadly against the tension of the spring 31 by grasping the knurled finger-gripping portion 33 of the said plunger. It is preferred that during the manual process of forcing the plunger 33 rearwardly, inward pressure upon its forward end should be simultaneously exerted so that when the concally-contoured forward end of the said plunger comes hito registry or substantial registry with the side wall of the socket or seat 32, the forward end of the said plunger may be snapped inwardly for full engagement with the said socket or seat 33, as shown in Figs. l and 2.

The lead-in surface 33 in the side of the head 33 of the action-slide 23 serves to guide the forward end of the breech-closing plunger 33 gradually outwardly as the said plunger moves forwardly in the act of dismountlng the same from the firearm-structure. Conversely, the said leadclosing plunger 33, will normally return the aci mental breech-closing spring 31 from the firearm-structure. the user of the firearm has but to grasp the said plunger 33 by means of its inger- 75 in surface 33 provides for the gradual lateral inward travel of the forward end of the plunger as the same is moved rearwardly in the act of reinstalling the said plunger in the firearmstructure.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

i claim:

1. An automatic firearm construction including in combination: a barrel; a receiver extending rearwardly from the said barrel and formed with a forwardly-opening spring-receiving socket; a reciprocating action-slide slidably associated with the said barrel and the said receiver and having a transverse portion exterior of the said receiver and spaced forwardly of and extending crosswise of the open forward end of the spring-receiving socket in the said receiver, the said transverse portion being formed with a rearwardly-opening plunger-receiving socket for the reception of the forward end of a breech-closing plunger; a helical breech-closing spring located in the forwardly-opening spring-receiving socket in the said receiver; and a breech-closing plunger having its forward end normally releasably seated in the rearwardly-opening plunger-receiving socket in the transverse portion of the said action-slide and having its rear i it ed ,with the forward portion of the said h-closing spring and extending into the forward portion of the spring-receiving socket in the said receiver with a free sliding it with capacity for being laterally tilted therein to permit the forward end of lthe said plunger to be laterally displaced out of engagement with the plunger-receiving socket in the said action-slide to permit the forward removal of the said breech-closing plunger from the firearm-structure.

2. An automatic construction including in combination: a barrel; a receiver extending rearwardly from the said barrel and formed with a forwardly-opening -receiving socket; a reciprocating action-slide slidably associated with the said barrel and the said receiver and having a transverse portion exterior of the said receiver and spaced forwardly of and extending crosswise of the open forward end of the spring-receiving socket in the said receiver. the said transverse portion being formed with a rearwardly-opening plunger-receiving socket for the reception of the forward end of a breech-closing plunger; a helical breech-closing spring located in the forwardlyopening spring-receiving socket in the said receiver; and a breech-closing plunger having its forward end normally releasably seated in the rearwardly-opening plunger-receiving socket in the transverse portion of the said action-slide, the said plunger being formed at its rear with a relatively-slender stem iithng within the forward end of the said h breech-closing spring and extending into the forward portion of the spring-receiving socket in the said receiver and together 'with the forward portion of the said breech-closing spring having a free sliding ilt in the forward portion of the spring-receiving socket in the said receiver with capacity for being laterally tilted therein to permit the forward end wardly-opening plunger-receiving socket for the of the said plunger to be laterally displaced out of engagement with the plunger-receiving socket in the said action-slide to permit the forward removal of the said breech-closing plunger from the hrearm-structure.

3. An automatic firearm construction including in combination: a barrel; a receiver extendlng rearwardly from the said barrel and having a mechanism-receiving chamber therein and formed in a wall-portion to one side of the said mechanism-receiving chamber with a spring-receiving socket intersecting the forward end of the receiver; a reciprocating action-slide slidably associated with the said barrel and the said recelver and having a transverse portion spaced forwardly of the forward end of the said receiver and extending crosswise of the open forward end of the spring-receiving socket therein, the said transverse portion being formed with a rearreception of the forward end of a breech-closing plunger; a helical breech-closing spring located in the forwardly-opening spring-receiving socket in the wall portion of the said receiver; and a breech-closing plunger having its forward end normally releasably seated in the rearwardlyopening plunger-receiving socket in the transverse portion of the said action-slide and having its. rear portion engaged with the forward portion of the said breech-closing spring and extending into the forward portion of the spring-receiving socket in the said receiver with a free sliding lit with capacity for being laterally tilted therein to permit the forward end of the said plunger to bewlaterally displaced out of engagement with the plunger-receiving socket in the said actionslide to permit the forward removal of the said breech-closing plunger from the firearm-structure.

4. .An automatic firearm construction including in combination: a barrel; a receiver extending rearwardly from the said barrel and having a mechanism-receiving chamber therein and formed in a wall portion to one side of the said mechanism-receiving chamber with a spring-receiving socket intersecting the forward end of the receiver; a reciprocating action-slide slide-bly asy sociated with the said barrel and the said receiver and having a transverse portion spaced forwardly of the forward end of the said receiver and extending crosswise of the open forward end of the spring-receiving socket therein, the said transverse portion being formed with a rearwardly-opening plunger-receiving socket for the reception of the forward end of a breech-closing plunger; a helical breech-closing spring located in the forwardly-opening spring-receiving socket in the wall portion of the said receiver; and a breech-closing plunger having its forward end normally releasably seated in the rearwardlyopening plunger-receiving socket in the transverse portion of the said action-slide, the said plunger being formed at its rear with a relativelyslender stem fitting within the forward end of the said helical breech-closing spring and extending into the forward portion of the springreceiving socket in the said receiver and together with the forward portion of the said breechclosing spring having a free sliding iit in the forward portion of the spring-receiving socket in the said receiver with capacity for being laterally tilted therein to permit the forward end of the said plunger to be laterally displaced out of engagement with the plunger-receiving socket in the said action-slide to permit the forward removal of the said breech-closing plunger from the firearm-structure.

DAVID M. WILLIAMS. 

